Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-17
THE FIGHT AMoxG THE KNIGHTS.
Mr. Barry Makes Serious Charges
Against Mr.. Powderly and other
Members OF the General Executive
BOard-A Bitter and Exciting Session.

Mr. Barry Makes Serious Charges
Against Mr.. POwderly and other
Members OF the General Executive
BOard-A Bitter and Exciting Session.
The resolution introduced into the Knights OF
Labor Assembly at Minneapolis on Friday to re-
duce the membership Of the general executive
board 10 five provoked long and sensational de-
bate in the assembly on Saturday. The friends OF
7. B. Barry, the Michigan legislator. and Baiiey,
the Ohio miners champion, saw In this PROPOSE
ton an attack upon their leaders and resolved to
fight it to the bitter end The result was that
the proceedings OF the day were the most sensa-
tional and noisy that have ever transpired In any
session OF general assembly since the order was
When the assembly convened Saturday morn
ing, according TO the Philadelphia Press dis
patches, Thos. B. Barry at once secured the floor
spiracy TO remove him and Bailey that had been
unearthed, and said that in Justice to himself and
the order generally he deemed it his duty TO make
certain statements in connection with the doings
OF the general executive board throughout the past
year.
CHARGE OF NATURALIZATION.
First, he charged broadly that the members of
the general executive board, and particularly Mr..
Powderly, chairman, and John W. Hayes. secre-
taIy, had Incorporated money becoming to the
order and usurped power that was not delegated
10 them Specifying, he declared that Tom o Reil-
ly, OF New York, had not been employed by the
board on any mission prior TO July II. but never
theiess before that date he had received 81 200
WITHOUT having rendered any services. He declared
that when he called attention to this fact in the
councils OF the general executive board, Mr. Pow
TO pay back the money himself When a vote Of
the board was taken on this proposition, both he
barry) ana Bailey voted In favor OF II, while the
the day.
Then, turning to John W. Hayes, he charged
n Iarl Wild having sent 400 down through New
Mr.. Powderly and Mr.. Hayes, he declared, had
supported themselves and their wives In Philadel-
phla, at the Bingham House and the Windsor
Hotel, at the expense OF the order, and that his
SBarrys) expense amounted TO nearly 800 per
month, and out of the $3O95. 43 set down in The
eral executive board" his own bill amounted TO
only 500, while most OF the balance was incurred
6y MT Powderly and Mr.; Hayes To prove all this
he called on the financial committee to show up
the ttemized bills.
Then Mr.. Barry declared that Secretary Itch
man had brought three girls from Massachusetts,,
not members OF the order and given them choice
positions In his office, and that Mr.. Hayes had Sc
cured positions in the ONCE for three other girls
VINO were also not members OF the order.
He next read sworn affidavit signed by one Of
the stenographers employed in the general Office,
first duties assigned TO him In accepting the posi-
ton was to tell untruths pertaining to the where
aDouts Of the general officers and the general ex-
ecutive board. He was afterward approached,
the stenographer swears, and asked to act as spy
upon Messrs. Barry and Bailey so that everything
they might do or say TO their disadvantage could
heads cut on at Minneapolis" The reading of this
afldav1t produced a sensation.
THE LIE GIVEN.
"Hayes has gone around the country charging
that am an anarchist" said the excited speaker
81 have said so only once and that in meeting
OF the board" shouted Hayes. snow say so
again."
1T is lie" responded Barry. 81 am as loyal as
one or the republic as any man upon this noor
side"
Resumng, he said that tn the face OF the falling
on In membership the expenses OF the general
ollceS had doubled during the past year, while
only half the work OF the previous one had been
done. Barry went on In THIS strain at length, and
at one stage, advancing to the table, he shook his
fst at Powderly and exclaimed: "Presently, when
you get into sentimental mood, you will stand
up here with the tears In your eyes and offer your
this assembly Is IN no mood TO entertain the one
man idea 1t wants no king, and 1t will have
none"
This was greeted with applause and Kisses. At
another stage he charged a delegate with having
declared that he and Bailey would have to CO. and
the delegate rising to his feet denied the impeach
ment.
.'You did-you dld-you said it to u.s." yelled
half dozen delegates in chorus.
Mr.. Barry proceeded TO denounce the manner in
which the general Office at SI4 North Broad street,
Philadelphia, was conducted under the supervision
OF Secretary Litchman. .The administration at
that offlce," said he, 'is like that Of a perfect
tyrant. This Is not an idle statement" he added,
'fOr 1t has actually come to pass that the clerks
employed In the general office held short meeting
Tor the purpose OF inaugurattng a strike against
the oppression Of the general secretary"
Mr.. Hayes took the f1OOr and held 1t for twenty
minutes. He denied that either he or Powdery
or any other member OF the board had been party
TO incorporation OF money. He declared that
he had done nothing that he was not instructed to
that the a, 500 expended In New Jersey was used
In bringing about the establishment OF a labor
bureau In that state and securing legislation fav-
Orable to the cause Of labor.
SOME POLITICAL REVELATIONS.
Resuming, he explained the charge that he had
boarded his family at a hotel In Philadelphia at
the expense OF the order saying that he did so In
order that himself ana Powderly might remain on
the board and save the organization. Several
siderable portion OF his time in political work in
New Jersey. He replied In the Affirmative, and
said but for the traitOrike work Of the labor men,
Der from Patterson he would have dictated the
United states Senator. Another delegate asked
hin If he had gone with 10000 to Maine to defeat
..Yes," was the reply. 81 went there for that
purpose, and now will say more. IL Is 7. b. Nc
CURE and not Jno. Jarrett that defeated Morrison
in illinois Morrison said: Damn the eight-hOur
law'-and the expression lost him his seat"
Mr.. Hayes denied. In toto, the charge brought
against him by MI. Barry: Both Barry and Bailey,
he said, had, through their agents in the West en-
deayored 10 create prejudice among the members
OF the order against the other general Officers and
on Powderly and himself The friends Of MIR.
Hayes say that he acquitted himself completely
from all the charges preferred against him.
AT the opening OF the afternoon session Delegate
Murray. OF New York, arose and said that Mr..
Barry had made concerning the general officers
some very serious statements, which, II true,
would convict certain men In the order OF being
knights for revenue only" II the charges were
subStantiated, he added the sooner the process OF
publication was begun the better. He then moved
that the report OF the finance cOmmistee which
would have direct bearing on the charges be
read and thus either prove or disprove the state
ments OF Mr.. Barry. This suggestion was not
acted upon.
Mr.. POwderly asked VIM. II. Bailey the COL
league OF Mr.. Barry, whether he had anything TO
say. Mr.. Bailey, however, declined to speak Mr..
Powderly then successfully asked ThOs. b. Nc.
CURE, Albert A. Carlton and Ira b. AyleSwOrth,
the remaining members OF the general executive
board, II they had anything to say, and they re-
sponded briefly. No specific charges, they said,
had been directed against them, and they dis.
Claimed participation In any act that might be
called crooked and diShOnOrable, and declared
themselves ready for a full investigation.
General secretary Litchman defended his Official
acts as general secretary, and maintained that
whatever mistakes mad been made in the office
were made by clerks whom he could not control
and could not discharge. Mr.. Ltchman said that
owing TO his being made the target Tor fierce
malignant, unf0unded criticisms, the position he
has occupied for the past year has been rendered
TO him perfect hell. Every act has been dis
torted and every error magnifed into unseemly
proportions He declared that there were among
his clerks those who are Incompetent negligent
and untruStwOrthy, and as things were arranged
at present he was pOwerless to remove them and
owing TO their Mistakes whether made intention.
ally or not, he was subjected TO constant insult
and criticism. Many OF the clerks in his Office he
had become unbearaDy insOlent.